Destination Sanity
by AlexRawrMonster
Summary: 7th year at Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry brings interesting new challenges to our heroin at the peak of her Hogwarts career.
1. The End of an Era

"Ms. Granger, ah yes thank you for coming. This was of the upmost importance I hope you realize." Said Professor McGonagall, well, Headmistress McGonagall now that she thought of it.

"Yes what is it Professor?"

"Not yet, we're waiting for someone else." She said, looking towards the door.

"Who?" she asked, wondering why she could possibly be here before the year even started.

"Ah yes here he is, Mister Malfoy please sit down." Draco did as he was told, taking the seat next to Hermione with a silent smirk on his face towards the obvious displeasure on hers.

"Problem Granger? Cat got your tongue?" he said,

"Oh shut it Malfoy."

"That's quite enough you two. I brought you here for a reason if you wouldn't mind letting me get it out."

"Yes Professor…" said Hermione quietly.

"Now that the war is over we want to promote house unity, something that has been very lacking ever since Salazar Slytherin and Godrick Gryffindor's fight back in the very beginning of the school. Now since you will both be returning 7th year Head boy and Girl I expect this to start with you. You do not have to be friends, but you may not be enemies either. The bad blood needs to stop. Since Mister Weasley is not returning we have not decided on a head boy for Gryffindor, as is the case of Ms. Parkinson of Slytherin house, which I don't blame her considering the castle was destroyed towards the end of 7th year, there really wasn't much to be missed." She said, looking at Draco, who only looked at his feet in response.

"So, you want unity? I don't understand."

"Well Miss Granger, I want you two to get along, very few of the 7th years of your year are returning, as a matter of fact there are about 10 of you. So it would be prudent you get along, you'll be sharing a dormitory. It will be you two, Mister Nott, Mister Longbottom, Mister Boot, Mister Zabini, Mister Finch-Fletchley, Mister MacDougal, and Miss Turpin. Now the dormitories are split up girls and boys and then the boys into sections because there are more of you. Your dormitory was added during reconstruction, and is near the owlery, it is behind a painting of the 9 of you and the password is gillyweed. Any questions you two?"

"Professor, will we be having class with the current 7th years?"

"Where else were you expecting to learn it Miss Granger?" she blushed and slid further into her chair.

"Jeez Granger and I thought you were supposed to be the smart one." Draco smirked,

"Why are you bothering to come back anyways?" she asked impatiently, "You have no reason to stay."

"Don't be daft granger I have my reasons, filthy little mudblood." He said sulkily.

"I will not tolerate that kind of language Mister Malfoy," said Professor McGonagall sternly. "You two may go." They stood up,

"Oh mudbloods first." He jeered; she just glared and stormed out the door. Hermione disapparated immediately, heading straight to the burrow. When she arrived Harry and Ron knew something was wrong, and she explained the whole situation in angry frustration.

"I, I just don't know what to do! I mean they separated us out for a reason right? It's just infuriating!"

"Why do you reckon Malfoy is coming back?" Ron asked tentatively, grabbing her hand trying to calm her down.

"I already said I haven't the slightest clue."

"Look, Hermione, we told you it wasn't worth going back, skip the N.E.W.T.'s required for magical law, come be an auror with us."Harry said, she just shook her head,

"Honestly Harry I'm not going to quit now." She said scornfully, "You two shouldn't either but I rest my case."

"Hermione calm down, that prat Malfoy can't take you."

"But all the things they learned last year in preparation for N.E.W.T.'s! I'm so behind!" she squealed, burying her head into Ron's chest.

"Calm down Hermione, it's just a test." He said, she looked up, saying nothing. This time tomorrow she would be on the train to Hogwarts, to perhaps the strangest year she would have yet.


	2. A New Beginning

"I'm going to miss you Hermione," Harry said, giving her a hug as she grabbed her cart and headed toward the platform,

"Me too Harry," she said, she then looked at Ron, "you too Ron." She said gently,

"Yeah me too Hermione." He said begrudgingly. She grabbed his hand and gently rubber her thumb over top of it,

"I have to go now guys, thanks for seeing me off," she said, kissing Ron on the cheek and letting go, waving them off as she went to board the train. There had been a note on her letter stating she had to sit in the back with the other 7th years or whatever you wanted to call them, the repeat kids. She sat back, sitting beside Neville nervously tapping her fingers along the spine of Hogwarts a History.

She watched silently as the others slowly boarded the train, saying nothing either, and the locomotive began moving. Draco and Blaise Zabini were having a conversation with Morag; Lisa was sitting silently next to Neville, who was having a conversation about herbology with Justin and Terry. Hermione's eyes wandered around the cabin, it wasn't the same without Harry and Ron there. She opened her book and began rereading.

"Reading again Granger? The term hasn't even started yet." Malfoy scoffed, she looked up, closing her book,

"At least I can read, you're too thick to try."

"Filthy little mudblood, how dare you."

"Excuse me? Malfoy I've noticed you go to the 'mudblood' remark when you've got nothing else, you can do better than that, or wait, never mind! You can't be clever, see, you don't read." She said with a smirk, opening her book once again. The next thing she knew her book was on the ground, and Malfoy was in front of her. She picked up her book, standing defiantly to meet him, "You may want to watch yourself, you have a boner." She said, "I saw whilst getting my book." And with that she stormed out.

When they arrived at the castle, Professor Sprout showed the 7th years to their new dorm, and then returned to the Great Hall, taking their seats at their table for the ceremonies.

"This year is a year of healing," Professor McGonagall began, "Last year Harry Potter put an end to Lord Voldemort once and for all, the wizarding war is over, and for that we are ever grateful. You students are where he once stood, all of you capable of great things. On a slightly less motivational note, the Forbidden Forest is once again forbidden to students, and Mr. Filch asks me to remind you that he is watching and will not tolerate any destructive antics within these halls. I would also like to give welcome to our new defense against the dark arts teacher Professor Taylor, as well as note that the Carrows will not be returning, having been sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban. Now let the sorting begin."

She concluded, letting the hat begin its tale, no warnings this year just the story of the four houses. The sorting was quick, people didn't trust the world fully yet, holding their children back, or sending them off to other schools. As the sorting ended McGonagall began the feast. Hermione grabbed a leg of chicken, and some salad, following it with a goblet of pumpkin juice, noting that Malfoy refused to look at her. At least he would be shut up for a while. As they finished up, they walked back to their dormitory. In front of it was a large picture in a gold frame covered in little golden vines, it portrayed all 9 of them, segregated off and each wearing their house colors, Hermione was in a Gregorian style dress of red satin, reading a book on a log. They were in a meadow.

"Lemon Drop" Hermione said, the door swung open and the 9 of them walked in uniformly. The dormitory was built of stone, with the Hogwarts crest up at the far wall above the fireplace, to the right was the girls dorm, the right the boys, the bathrooms in a room leading off from the left, the main corridor had a black couch, with a red, blue, green and yellow pillow, one for each house. The lighting was candles in holders on the walls and in the hanging chandelier in the middle of the room. This was their new home for the next year. Hermione immediately took her place next to the fire and opened Hogwarts a History to page 323, stuffing her nose promptly back into the book where it belonged.


	3. Trusted Sincerity

"Wake up Granger you're littering the floor with your mudblood filth." Draco said, nudging the girl with his foot, she had dosed off in front of the fire.

"Malfoy what is it to you where I sleep?" she said getting up, now slightly agitated.

"Oh it's nothing to me, reckon that ginger Weasley would give a lot to know though eh?" he said with a devilish smirk crossing his face, she blushed furiously,

"For your information Malfoy we haven't been speaking." She said, venom dripping off her words.

"What can't afford the paper to write? Sorry to hear that." He said, and that's when she punched him.

"People like you disgrace the world with your very presence in it." She said calmly, grabbing Hogwarts a history and walking out the door, leaving Draco speechless. She walked across the corridor and down the hall, the passed some elder wizards having a tea-party in a painting, and a few first or second years, she really couldn't tell and didn't really care. When she reached the library she looked around, finding a seemingly large book and picking it out, "Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms by E. Limus" read the title, she sat down, opening the dusty cover and beginning to read.

"Hermione? What are you doing in the library at this hour?" Luna asked, walking in to see Hermione at the end of a rather large book.

"Oh, just some light reading." Said Hermione; stifling a yawn.

"Well you look positively exhausted, must be the Wrackspurts." She said seriously.

"Luna, why don't you head off to Ravenclaw tower? I'll finish up quickly." She said

"Alright, see you later Hermione!" she said gleefully, bouncing off. Hermione finished her book quickly, heading back to the common room.

"What were you doing out so late?" Draco asked, as Hermione walked in through the door,

"Well wouldn't you like to know."

"Secret meetings with Potty and the Weasel? Or hanging around with those blasted elves you love so much?"

"For your information I was reading, and it shouldn't be any of your concern if I see my friends or not." She said angrily, storming into the girl's dormitory to find Morag and Lisa already asleep. She didn't know either of them well, so she just got under the covers and fell asleep, not bothering to undress more than taking her shoes off. She was exhausted.

"Why is she always reading?"

"I have no clue Lisa, it's a bit strange. You're her fellow Gryffindor aren't you supposed to agree with it?"

"You're the Ravenclaw! I'm not supposed to be a nerd; I'm supposed to be brave and gallant!"

"Whatever, we'll deal, weird or not, just gotta put up with her, now come on Lisa let's go get breakfast."

"Fine, sure, come on Morag."

Hermione sat quietly; they didn't know she was awake, she hadn't moved at all to indicate consciousness. They couldn't know she heard them; she got up, and walked over to the bathroom, slowly brushing out her long bushy brown hair.

"There's nothing wrong with reading as much as you do." She said to herself, changing clothes to her normal ones, seeing as it was Saturday. She finished up quickly, walking out and into the main room so see Justin, Terry and Neville having a conversation, Blaise and Theodore were relaxing on the couches, Draco was just coming out of the common room, his usually slick hair a blonde mess surrounding his extra pale face. He just glared at everyone, locating himself on the other side of the room, lying out on the couch. Hermione noticed a difference, but couldn't be bothered with his insults this morning and dismissed it.

"Hey Hermione come here a sec." Neville called, seeing her awake. She complied.

"What is it Neville?" she asked,

"I just wanted to tell you, me and Luna got together after the battle of Hogwarts," he said with a gigantic smile,

"Congratulations Neville!" she said, thinking of how badly coming here had gone over with Ron, feeling desperation clouding her, this morning wasn't going very well. She walked out to the breakfast hall, sitting next to Ginny at the Gryffindor table, avoiding her table, trying not to look over at the girls who were probably still talking about her. She looked down at her oatmeal, remembering how it was made by slave labor. SPEW had never taken off as she had intended it to…

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ginny asked, seeing her staring blankly into her bowl.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just tired I guess." She lied.

"Oh, yeah Luna said she saw you up way late last night in the library." She said, not pushing it any further. She got up, heading back to the dormitory, seeing the empty common room she leapt onto the couch and started crying, this year was not going as planned, she missed her friends, her relationship was on the rocks, her roommates talking behind her back, everything just seemed to be getting worse. Then she heard the door open, and looked up quickly.

"Granger?" Malfoy asked, walking in the door.

"What do you want Malfoy?" she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"What's the matter with you? He asked, "You're getting mudblood tears on the sofa."

"Clearly it's not important, just continue to insult me to yourself, I'll be in the dorm." She said, starting to walk away, but he grabbed her arm.

"Wait, Granger, don't storm off." He said, letting go as quickly as he had grabbed her, as if she were diseased. She turned to face him, crossing her arms,

"If you must know, the collaborative events of my day have just gotten to me okay? Now if you please I'm going to go clean up." She said, walking into the next room and drying her eyes, blowing her nose and coming back out into the main room, acting as if it had never happened.


	4. The Tides Are Turning

Sometimes, life is a series of disappointments broken only by dark spells of depression, but this would not be Hermione's life. Going to the finest Wizarding School in Britain for years, being friends with someone actually in the history books she loved so much, her life was adventure after adventure surrounded by her two best friends – her self-empowerment was interrupted by a loud noise from the other side of the room, her trance broken, she looked up to see Malfoy laying out on the couch coughing rather loudly and then falling back into a heap on the cushions. She looked over at him, slightly repulsed by his nearly translucent color.

"Malfoy, you should probably go to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfery has Pepperup potion you know."

"Bite me granger."

"Touchy. I was just trying to help." She said, walking over to her bag, grabbing out her potions book and starting the essay that was due next week. She was writing quickly, trying to get it done so she could work on her muggle studies work, but was once again interrupted. This time it was Neville, he walked in through the door, carelessly dropping his things onto the ground; Luna was beside him helping him pick it up. Hermione smiled at them, Draco only glared, no doubt jealous he wasn't the most blonde in the room.

Neville took Luna up over to the guys dorm, leaving Hermione back with Draco. She looked over at him again, he was sounding progressively more disgusting, and it was getting harder and harder to concentrate on her studies.

"Malfoy, take care of that cough or go into the guys dorm I'm trying to work on my essay."

"Jeez Granger don't get your knickers in a twist, clearly I can't go in there, who knows what I'd walk in on." He said, shuddering.

"Fine, what can I do to either make you leave or stop coughing?"

"Calm your tits Granger I'll leave just stop your incessant yammering." He said, getting up and heading for the door. She sighed, you can't please everyone. She continued writing her essay. She fell asleep on her desk, the next thing she knew Neville was waking her up.

"Hermione you need to get some rest, you keep doing this."

"Yes I know, I'm sorry." She mumbled,

"Yeah well, I'm heading back to bed, you should do the same."

"Okay okay." She said, gathering her things as he walked the other way. As she finished collecting her things in walked a sneezing Draco. She sighed, noticing that he had ignored her completely. Not surprising to her in the slightest. She rubbed her eyes, heading into the dormitory.

The next morning Hermione started heading to herbology, passing by Professor McGonagall having a conversation with Professor Slughorn,

"Please Horace! If Dolores is truly going to become Minister of Magic as you've said we've got more to worry about then just classes, we'll discuss this later." She said, seeing Hermione's wandering eyes, she looked down slightly embarrassed and continued off to class.

"What are you doing over here?" Draco asked as Hermione walked in to the owlery.

"Writing Ron." She said truthfully,

"Oh, Weasleby huh?"

"Yeah, he and I sort of had a, a thing during the battle, but he wasn't too happy about me leaving for another year here."

"Oh." He said, starting to cough. She frowned.

"You're not even going to bother to take care of yourself…" she said, sending off her owl.

"Granger, my life doesn't concern you."

"What no Mudblood insult this time?"

"Well considering McGonagall now gives out detention for it I can say it's hardly worth my time thanks." He said, walking off, leaving his letter on the railing. She watching him walk away, grabbing it tentatively and looking down inconspicuously.

"_Dear Astoria,_

_ I'm writing to tell you that the betrothal is off. My mother isn't pushing it, and since my father's credibility was under question no one listens to him anymore, the fact of it is with the Dark Lord out of the picture my family's name is dirt, your mother asked me to do this because the Malfoy name doesn't mean anything any longer,_

_ -Draco Malfoy_

She frowned, noting the clearly negative note to the letter, she pocketed it, deciding she'd return it to him when she saw him next, whenever that may be.


End file.
